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I have conducted research in forested landscapes for the past ten years on:
I have coordinated a science network called the Miombo Network since 1995. It covers Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including partners from forestry and mapping institutions in these countries. I have conducted fieldwork in Malawi (Kasungu, Zomba), Mozambique (Nampula and Manica), Zimbabwe (Mzola, Bulawayo, Marondera) and other countries in Southern Africa as well as the Lake States Region in Michigan, U.S.
I have served as principal investigator on grants from: the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), State Departments, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the SyTem for Analyis, Research, and Traning (START), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
This work has led to development of quantitative methods and models in five main areas:
E-mail Dr. Desanker: desanker@psu.edu.
Joined Faculty at Penn State in 2003
Associate Professor of Geography
Ph.D. (1992), Forest Biometrics, Michigan Technological University
M.S. (1991), Mathematics, Michigan Technological University
B.S. (1988), Forestry with Honors, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
"Operationalizing GOFC In The Miombo Region and Questions of Carbon: Miombo Region a Source or Sink?" (June 1, 2000 to May 31, 2003) Sponsor: NASA LCLUC; Principal Investigator: Paul Desanker
"Application of Remote Sensing in Regional Environmental Management in Southern Africa: Integrating Research into Education and Policy in Regional Development" (September 2002 to August 2004) Sponsor: Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, FY2001 College and University Affiliations Program (State Department) Principal Investigators: Paul Desanker, Almeida Sitoe
"Land Use Change Around Protected Areas in LCLUC Sites: Synthesis of Rates, Consequences for Biodiversity, and Monitoring Strategies" (May 2001-April 2004) Sponsor: NASA LCLUC Principal Investigators: Andrew Hansen (Montana State) and Ruth DeFries (Maryland), Co-Investigators: Desanker, Moran, Vance and Walsh
"Regional and National Integrated Assessment of the Zambezi River Basin" (September 2002 to August 2004) Sponsor: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Principal Investigators: Paul Desanker and Miombo Network members
"Integrated Impact Assessment of the Miombo Region" (January 2002 to December 2005) Sponsor: UNEP/TWAS/START AIACC Principal Investigator: Paul Desanker and Miombo Network members
"Preparation of the NAPA Primer" (November 2001 to June 2003) Sponsor: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Principal Investigator: Paul Desanker
"Workshop in Integrated Land Use Change in Southern Africa: Process Modeling, Impacts and Implications for Sustainable Development" (June 2002 to May 2003) Sponsor: NSF Principal Investigator: Paul Desanker
Desanker, P. (and UNEP). Vital Graphics on Climate Change and Africa: A Multimedia collection of high quality graphics, maps and story lines on aspects of climate change for Africa, released as a CD-ROM, booklet, set of overheads in English and French, and at www.grida.no.
Desanker, P.V., C.O. Justice, K. Masamvu and G. Munthali. (2003). "Requirements for Integrated Assessment Modelling at the Subregional And National Levels in Africa to Address Climate Change" in: Pak Sum Lo (Ed.). Climate Change for Africa: Science, Technology, Policy and Capacity Building, Kluwer Academic Publishers (in press).
Zhang, Q., C.O. Justice, and P.V. Desanker. (2002) Impacts of shifting cultivation on deforestation and the carbon stocks of the forests of Central Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 90:203-209.
Desanker, P.V. 2002. Impacts of Climate Change on Life in Africa, WWF Climate Change Brief, Washington D.C., USA.
Desanker, P.V. and L. Zulu (2002). Gender, Energy, Development and Environmental Change in Southern Africa. Southern African Gender and Energy Network, 00:00-00 (in press).
Desanker, P.V (Guest Editor). Africa and Global Climate Change Special Issue, Climate Research, Vol 17, Number 2 (pages 93-246), 2001.
Desanker, P.V. and C. Magadza (Coordinating Lead Authors; plus 11 Lead Authors and 13 Contributing Authors). Africa. Chapter 10 of the IPCC Working Group II, Third Assessment Report. (Published by Cambridge in 2001). www.ipcc.ch
Desanker, P.V., C.O. Justice (2001). Africa and Climate Change Research: Critical issues and suggestions for further research and integrated assessment modeling (.pdf file). Climate Research 17:93-103.
IIPCC-TGCIA, 1999: Guidelines on the Use of Scenario Data for Climate Impact and Adaptation Assessment. Version 1. Prepared by Carter, T.R., M. Hulme, and M. Lal, with contributions from: X. Dai, P. Desanker, F. Giorgi, L.J. Mata, L.O. Mearns, J.F.B. Mitchell, T. Morita, R. Moss, D. Murdiyarso, J.D. Pabon-Caicedo, M.L. Parry, R.J. Scholes and P.H. Whetton. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Task Group on Scenarios for Climate Impact Assessment, 69 pp. ]
Clark, William C., Jill Jaeger, Robert Corell, Roger Kasperson, James J. McCarthy, David Cash, Stewart J. Cohen, Paul Desanker, Nancy M. Dickson, Paul Epstein, David H. Guston, J. Michael Hall, Carlo Jaeger, Anthony Janetos, Neil Leary, Marc A. Levy, Amy Luers, Michael MacCracken, Jerry Melillo, Richard Moss, Joanne M. Nigg, Martin L. Parry, Edward A. Parson, Jesse C. Ribot, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Daniel P. Schrag, George A. Seielstad, Eileen Shea, Coleen Vogel, and Thomas J. Wilbanks. 2000. Assessing vulnerability to global environmental risks. Report of the Workshop on Vulnerability to Global Environmental Change: Challenges for Research, Assessment and Decision Making. 22-25 May, Airlie House, Warrenton, Virginia. Research and Assessment Systems for Sustainability Program Discussion Paper 2000-12. Cambridge, MA: Environment and Natural Resources Program, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (BCSIA), Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.